Counterfeits an added problem
Published: 28th Apr 2017
Muhammad Ismail, director, American Shop
Pretoria, SA – I’d say our turnover is on par with last year.
We service the lower end of the market and the main factors affecting our consumers are unemployment and inflation.
We sell mostly brands, and we are also very badly affected by counterfeits – they sell ‘Nike’ and other fakes close by, and there’s nothing we can do.
I think it will be a tough year, but we have to keep trying. – [+27 (0)12 323 1192, miid@webmail.co.za]
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